Layla at the end
by cheekybumbum
Summary: Prequel to 'I need you too much now.' Explains how Warren got to be in the state he was in in the sequel. Warning:Character Death


A/N: Due to popular demand/confusion I've decided to write a prequel to 'I need you too much now' to explain the cause of Layla's death.

Warren had left in the middle of senior year after the death of his mother. Even though she'd died peacefully and of natural causes, he'd become too worked up about it, convinced there was foul play involved. However, no one believed him, it was pretty clear her body had simply worn out. So one day Warren just hadn't come back to school and despite all efforts to find him, he eluded every superhero sent out to find him.

Right after Warren's disappearance, Layla somehow knew he wouldn't be coming back for a while, if at all. She couldn't explain exactly how she knew this; it was just a feeling so while everyone around her wondered when he'd be coming back, Layla worried silently for his safety. Ever since they'd defeated Royal Pain together, her, Will, Magenta, Ethan, Zach and Warren had been pushed into the spotlight, putting pressure on them to be better than everyone else and while that was easy for Will to do, she wasn't so sure about Warren.

She'd always got the feeling that he'd rather be left alone. He certainly made minimal conversation the times they were all together and in classes, so Will said, he stayed at the back, did the work and avoided joining in. Layla didn't try and push it with Warren; just tried to let him know that she was there for him as much as she could be. But she wasn't sure whether the message had filtered through. Out of all of them, Warren spent the most time with Layla what with her frequent visits, often alone, to the Paper Lantern and she was sure that at these times he let down some barriers and once or twice she was sure she'd seen him staring at her with his dark, haunted eyes but she'd never been brave enough to confront him about it.

And as time went on, she found it more difficult to be around him. She'd blush when he spoke to her and found herself getting hotter whenever they touched. She put it down to a crush, nothing more. After all, she was with Will, a kind and caring boy. But, as senior year dragged on the feelings for Warren got stronger until one day she woke up and realised that this was love. Somehow, incredibly, she had fallen in love with Warren Peace, the most reclusive, emotionally shut off person in their year.

So, bizarrely, while she worried for Warren's safety, she was also quite relieved that he had gone. Her feelings for him, she was sure, went unreciprocated, and she was glad of the chance to let them die, once and for all.

And as time went by; their graduation, passing a one year college course in advanced training and finally stepping out into the world of a superhero, Layla began to forget about Warren Peace. Of course, he wasn't completely gone from her mind. Every time she heard something about Baron Battle, or sat by an open fire or fought a villain, he flitted across her mind but never lingered.

She and Will had moved in together after graduation, making it easier for them to tackle their villains but as Will defeated more and more villains he became arrogant, puffed up by his father's doting and praise. So much so, in fact, that on occasion he wouldn't tell Layla about a villain and would fly off to defeat it himself, breaking superhero laws. But no one would touch him; his family name still held sway over the Hero Law Enforcement Squad and he could get away with most things.

One day, Layla was walking home from the grocery store, her arms laden with paper bags when she felt someone grab onto her collar and yank her into a nearby alley. She dropped the bags in fright and tried to face her attacker but he held her with her back to him and covered her mouth with his hand so she couldn't yell out. She tried creating vines to bind the attacker but there was no plant life in this dingy city alley.

'Call for Captain America,' the voice hissed in her ear.

Layla stood stock still, confused. She had no idea who Captain America was.

'Your boyfriend, the Commander's son, call for him,' the voice hissed again and Layla felt the cold steel of a knife pressed against her throat. 'I know you've got comm. devices, all heroes and sidekicks carry them. So get yours out and call for your man,' he said more roughly running the knife's side around her throat.

Layla fumbled for her wrist and pressed repeatedly the button on her watch that called for Will.

'And now we wait,' said the voice. But they didn't have long. Will flew into the alley.

'Let her go,' he commanded.

A wash of safety and security ran over Layla when she heard his voice but the knife blade was still pressed just below her jawline. She trembled and let out a small whimper.

'Oh I'll let her go alright,' said the figure behind her, 'but only if you do something for me.'

'I'm sorry, I don't negotiate with villains,' Will said calmly and with a bound he was behind the villain and had thrown him off Layla and onto some garbage cans at the end of the alley. He strode over and picked him up with one hand.

'Listen you – wait a minute, you're not even a villain are you?' he said surprised. 'You're just some lowlife petty criminal aren't you? How did you think calling me would benefit you in anyway? There's only one place for scum like you – jail.' Will flew upwards, casting a glance at Layla and telling her he'd be back for her in a minute.

Layla, shaken, sat on the ground and tried to gather up her spilt shopping but she found her hands were trembling too much for her to get a grip on any of it and so she just sat, traumatised by what had just happened.

Suddenly she heard a whooshing of cape and looked up into the sky to see Will descending.

'Right, let's get you home,' he said kindly as a crowd of onlookers appeared out of the shops on the street. And with that he picked her up and flew her back home.

But after they entered the door a whole other side of him appeared.

'What the hell did you think you were doing Layla?' he exploded once the front door was shut.

'Please Will, don't shout,' she winced.

'Why the hell not? You could have gotten yourself killed, you do realise that? What if I hadn't been able to make it? Did that ever cross your mind? What if I had been off defeating real villains, not saving my _sidekick,_' he spat the word out, 'from a petty criminal!'

'Will, please it wasn't like that,' she pleaded.

'Then what was it like Layla? Did you think you could find some glory for yourself by defeating someone and it got too much for you? Honestly Layla, I thought you had more sense that that! Sidekicks are there for support, not to do the job themselves!'

'But I never get to support you anymore!' she yelled. 'You're always off saving the day by yourself. You never tell me what's going on! How am I supposed to be your support if you don't tell me when or where you need it?'

'I'm sorry if I've outgrown needing a sidekick but that's just the way it goes now!' he shouted. 'My dad outgrew Mr. Boy pretty quickly, maybe you can go back to Sky High and teach the new sidekicks how to get themselves into situations they can't handle!'

Her eyes filled with tears. She'd never heard Will yell like this. She knew there was an element of arrogance in him but she'd always been able to pacify it but now it was out there, directed at her she couldn't take it. She tried to make some sort of retort but the tears just spilled out over her eyelids and she stood there, sobbing.

'Oh, great, cry why don't you. That'll solve things –.' A beeping interrupted him. 'I've got to go, there's an actual villain on the loose.'

'Will, please don't go, we haven't sorted this out yet,' she pleaded, holding onto his arm.

'We'll talk about it later,' he said angrily shaking her off.

'Will, please!' she cried, grabbing hold again.

'I said later!' he shouted and swung at her, catching her across the middle and flinging her across the room into the fireplace that collapsed on top of her.

'Layla!' he cried, running across to her, casting the bricks out of the way, and uncovering her limp form. 'Layla, please, wake up!' he said, shaking her gently. '_The hospital_,' he thought and flew them out of their front door to the ER department.

Layla was slowly losing consciousness.

_Ow, what was that?_ she thought. _That really hurt. _

Somehow, she could tell what was wrong with her and that she wasn't going to make it. She hoped Will wouldn't feel responsible and that he wouldn't give up being a superhero. He was good at it and saved a lot of lives. What had Layla done? Saved a few leaves maybe. She was never going to be much good as a pacifist hero.

As Will flew her towards the ER she got the strangest sensation. It was like a part of her was separating from the rest of her and as Will finally made it to the doors she managed to open her eyes one last time. He looked down at her and said something but Layla heard nothing. She felt a release as though something she'd been carrying around for a long time had finally been set free.

They say the last thing you see when you die is your true love, the person you were destined to spend your life with, even if you didn't actually do it in the end.

So Layla was surprised to see someone she hadn't seen in a long time float before her eyes. He was about 6'2", dark hair tinted with red and the darkest eyes she had ever seen. Clad in black leather, Warren Peace held out his hand to her and she took it, feeling the warmth in his touch she hadn't felt in three years.

_A/N: I hope that satisfied confused readers and I'm sorry if I made Will a little too evil but he had to be for this to work. And he did redeem himself at the end! As always, R&R!_


End file.
